Sony Gaming Unit Adds Uber Antitrust Lawyer Amid Expansion Plans

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Remember_Spinal

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Sony has hired a new top antitrust and public policy lawyer, Gregory McCurdy. He held a similar position at Uber.

Sony spokesperson confirmed McCurdy's hire, which he announced recently:"The world of video games is fascinating and will be a great new adventure for me".

McCurdy spent more than 15 years as a senior litigation and policy lawyer for Microsoft prior to joining Uber in 2015: "I know it a bit from my Microsoft days when Xbox launched to compete with PlayStation."

His senior director role at Sony is a new one, per an online posting for the job. The posting said the person filling the role would would become a "senior level member" of the PlayStation video game console maker's global legal leadership and "primary competition and regulatory counsel" for the company's business worldwide.

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Dabaus

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I think they will buy Epic Games. Sony have been weirdly obsessed with them these last few years.

I guess its not so weird considering how big UE5 is gonna be, they will control 90% of the gaming market
Doesnt tencent own like 40 percent of them? Its posible i suppose but not sure tencent would want to give up that much stake in epic unless the price was just THAT good. I think this will be a square, capcom or take 2. Hope not Ubisoft!
 
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Remember_Spinal

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Doesnt tencent own like 40 percent of them? Its posible i suppose but not sure tencent would want to give up that much stake in epic unless the price was just THAT good. I think this will be a square, capcom or take 2. Hope not Ubisoft!

Yeah but that wouldn’t necessarily stop an acquisition, companies have been and still are (activision) being bought out with tencent stake.

I don’t think they would need a American anti-trust lawyer for a japanese company, especially one the size of capcom or square enix. Although i am suspeicious ever since Greg Miller and Jeff Grubb heard rumblings of square enix buy out plus the selling off their western division.

It will be interesting to see what happens. Sony said they wanted 50%+ of marketshare this generation, lets see what they do to make that happen.
 
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Yurinka

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We knew Jimbo was going to make more acquisitions, but I assume this means that either are going to have at least a big one (top publisher as it could be Square Enix, Capcom or Bandai Namco or some mobile gaming giant) or that they'll make many acquisitions.

Doesnt tencent own like 40 percent of them? Its posible i suppose but not sure tencent would want to give up that much stake in epic unless the price was just THAT good. I think this will be a square, capcom or take 2. Hope not Ubisoft!
According to wikipedia the owners are:
  • Tim Sweeney (>50%)
  • Tencent (40%)
  • Sony (4.9%)
  • Kirkbi, parent company of Lego (3%)
Tim has a good relationship with Sony but I'd say not to the point of wanting to sell them the company. He's 52 and so fucking rich but who knows, maybe he wants more money for a golden retirement after selling the company and continue there during some years to ensure a proper transition.

But well, I don't see Tim selling the company, specially when it has potential to grow in value in the next few years due to UE5.
 
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DynamiteCop

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Capcom is absolutely not going to sell, and they couldn't afford Take Two even if Sony had three times the money they do.
 

Satoru

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They're not an incredibly wealthy company but their IP and services are worth far more than their valuation and they would never agree to a sale, the same goes for Capcom.
Not sure I agree on Capcom, but fully agree on take 2
 

TubzGaming

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Their double talk is pretty hilarious.
"PlayStation did have a job opening for a Corporate Development Director that will work with management to look for inorganic growth opportunities. Inorganic growth is described as acquisitions, investments and joint ventures in the job listing."
 

DynamiteCop

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Not sure I agree on Capcom, but fully agree on take 2
I would have disagreed with myself 10 years ago but everything Capcom is done over the last 5 years has been absolute fire. There's no incentive to sell, and for the first time in a really long time they're standing on their own incredibly well.
 

BloodMod

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I absolutely agree with most here about Take Two. Even if they were for sale, which I seriously doubt would happen unless GTA VI somehow flops, there is no way Sony could afford them.
 

Bryank75

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If they are hiring anti-monopoly lawyers / experts, that means it is a move that in some minds would breach the balance in the industry... which is only a few moves.

They also hired an acquisitions guy recently who oversaw a merger for approximately 20-25 billion, so I imagine this acquisition they are looking at is in that kinda valuation.... 15-30 billion. (Sony just expanded their budget for acquisition and capital investments to 30 billion last FYE)

I could see Steam, Epic or CDPR / GOG

I would still like to see Square but from all the moves being made, that seems too small in scope. (Unless they do it as part of an overall jigsaw piece.

Overall I think Epic makes the most sense....with Sony basically gifting them developers of Fallout guys, Rocket League and contracts for games with many past PC studios.
Along with Unreal Engine being more and more important to Sony and Fortnite making so much money for them....then add in the recently PC ambitions.

Steam IMO is too messy for Sony...has too little control over their users etc.

Epic Store had 194 million users in 2021....... which are the types of numbers they would want at Sony to show growth....

A console install base of 120-140 million each generation along with 200 million PC users, making it 320-340 million users and then a longterm aim to grow to half a billion long term (10 year plan)
 

BloodMod

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If they are hiring anti-monopoly lawyers / experts, that means it is a move that in some minds would breach the balance in the industry... which is only a few moves.

They also hired an acquisitions guy recently who oversaw a merger for approximately 20-25 billion, so I imagine this acquisition they are looking at is in that kinda valuation.... 15-30 billion. (Sony just expanded their budget for acquisition and capital investments to 30 billion last FYE)

I could see Steam, Epic or CDPR / GOG

I would still like to see Square but from all the moves being made, that seems too small in scope. (Unless they do it as part of an overall jigsaw piece.

Overall I think Epic makes the most sense....with Sony basically gifting them developers of Fallout guys, Rocket League and contracts for games with many past PC studios.
Along with Unreal Engine being more and more important to Sony and Fortnite making so much money for them....then add in the recently PC ambitions.

Steam IMO is too messy for Sony...has too little control over their users etc.

Epic Store had 194 million users in 2021....... which are the types of numbers they would want at Sony to show growth....

A console install base of 120-140 million each generation along with 200 million PC users, making it 320-340 million users and then a longterm aim to grow to half a billion long term (10 year plan)
I could see CDPR/GOG as a move to get a foothold on the PC market - by getting their own storefront.
Problem is, I cannot imagine CDPR selling to Sony when they look far more likely to sell to MS, especially considering the CP2077 debacle - and that includes the posture of their CEO on social media at one point.
 
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Dabaus

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I could see CDPR/GOG as a move to get a foothold on the PC market - by getting their own storefront.
Problem is, I cannot imagine CDPR selling to Sony when they look far more likely to sell to MS, especially considering the CP2077 debacle - and that includes the posture of their CEO on social media at one point.
CDPR for 3-4 billion for some western rpgs, namley the withcher series and an already established store front might be worth it? Any idea how complicated or difficult it is to start your own store launcher ?
 
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